The Most American car

While we may not favor the vehicles on this list it's obvious there is a part of the public that favors them, and I hate to admit it but Toyota and Honda have gone to great lengths to show it's possible to build a quality vehicle in America that the public will buy.
I presently own a 1999 Toyota truck thats outlasted 2 other GM trucks, 2000, 2003, doing the same if not harder jobs as them even though they were both 3/4tons and its a 1/2ton. You dont have to like or buy their autos but the Japanese auto manufactures have got something going for them otherwise they wouldnt have the success theyve been carrying for a few years.
When you take away the "built in America" tag from domestic auto manufacturers it doesnt leave the consumer much confidence in that manufacturer, especially since foreign auto manufacturers have been getting good quality ratings for years, what incentive is left for an American consumer to buy a supposedly American auto?

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I understand the frustration of the way things have been in the auto industry for years but myself I know that what is most important in the long run is to buy from an American company. Companies go into business for a profit so you have to consider that if you buy a Toyota or a Honda, where is the profit going? The biggest benefit is going to Japan or some other country. Myself, I will support my country 100% and only buy vehicles in which the profits are supporting an American company. I am very patriotic and I will support my country to the fullest extent until there is no country left and that will happen eventually if people continue to look for excuses to buy from other counties and not America. This country was founded and built by hardline patriots and that is what it is going to take to save it.

I know what your saying but take a look at the major behind the scenes share holders at the big three, their all foreign investors, so the money is still going out of the U.S. And many of the foreign manufacturers have U.S. investors bringing money back to the U.S. from their investments, in the global economy we have now the best interest of the U.S. isnt where the profit ends up, because the investors are still taxed when the money leaves or enters the U.S., it's in the gross domestic product, how much were producing in house no matter what brand name it's under because that keeps U.S. workers moving and how much were selling no matter if it's at home or overseas, remember leaving the country items are still hit with an export tax too.
Not many "American companies" are American anymore, the face they put up front is very different than the legal ownership papers on file, but the one benefit in American companies is where the wage of the employees end up, and thats normally in the U.S. which is what counts to us in the end.

I'm surprised Nissan wasn't on that list with the Altima (I think it was the best selling Sedan in the US last quarter), because most of their suppliers are within a 50 mile radius of their assembly plant in Smyrna. In fact, they had a much easier time of dealing with the tsunami in Japan because there were fewer critical parts that were made in Japan than Toyota or Honda. The other two lost far more production numbers over that than Nissan did. I work for one of their suppliers building seats for the Altima (my plant also builds truck seats). I will say though that Nissan has done a lot more for Tennessee (especially by directly and indirectly employing a huge % of the workforce here) than any of the Big 3 ever have. In fact, their North American headquarters is about 30 minutes away in Franklin, TN so they make up a good portion of the white collar workforce in the area as well.

The way I see it is what good does it do for the profits to go back to the US if they aren't employing as many Americans? Tim makes a great point about the investors as well. I'd be interested to see how many each of the car makers employ in the US. I imagine Toyota and Nissan are both near the top, and I wouldn't be surprised if they are the top two.

Agreed Sarge. But I would like to see the numbers year by year. Showing how the foreigners are building more stable employment while the big three seem to be employing more folks outside our fine country.
Did Penske kill the Saturn or is he still going to get production going? Anyone hear?

Coach I have heard the Penske thing is dead. He wanted to continue to produce the cars at the Saturn factory in TN as part of the deal. I had read somewhere that the production line that had made the Vue had already began to transition to producing the Cadillac SUV that looks like a Vue.
It would be nice if in these list's they combined the Silverado/Sierra sales and production together. Yes they are different I know! I think that was a part of the failure that GM had. The same car with different emblems. Like the Saturn Outlook and the GMC Acadia.

Thanks for the info. I agree with the wasted personnel and streamlining to make one singular great line of trucks. I believe cost savings and quality are compromised by having 2 of everything , most being the same parts. Just shipped to different warehouses.
I would like to see a re-emergence of Class 5-6 trucks from GM or sell the information to someone like Penske and maintain contracts with American non-union companies to keep costs in line.

If only Chevy and Ford would put some style back in their products. The HHR was a start, then they killed it. The Solstice/Sky platform was good but they killed it... The F-150 is on there, but it's become a pseudo-luxury vehicle that is more show than go. It may be a while before I buy another vehicle.